Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMS)

Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMS)

Vapor-Phase Deposited SAMS

Vapor-phase deposition of self-assembled monolayers represents a versatile and low cost solution to rapidly functionalize a variety of surfaces including metals, oxides, polymers and textiles. Through a low thermal budget process (<100°C), surface properties can be tailored at the atomic scale to achieve optimal performances including control of wettability (hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity), adhesion and stiction, electrical, chemical and biochemical properties to name a few. SAMs also provide an ideal vehicle to anchor nanoparticles, bio-molecules or be used as a seed layer. They have also been successfully used for selective area deposition.

A wide range of SAMS films can be deposited including silanes, thiols and phosphonic acids.

Atomry ® SAMS kit option enables the deposition of a wide range of organic monolayers via self-assembly in vapor phase. Due to the self-limited nature of SAMS deposition in vapor phase, SAMS films are highly conformal and uniform even over the more stringent 3D nanostructures. Additionally fully assembled monolayers can be achieved within minutes as opposed to 24-48h in liquid phase. In conjunction with in-situ diagnostics (QCM, ellipsometry), and ALD capability, this represent an excellent R&D solution to deposit a variety of organic / inorganic thin films.

SAMS Applications

Inhibition layer for Selective area ALD

Organic thin film transistors

Permeation coatings for flexible electronics

Nanostructure functionalization

Anti-stiction for MEMS

Bio-sensing / cell adhesion / protein adsorption

Large surface area coating for wettability / permeability control

ALD thin films can provide optimal moisture barriers films to satisfy the most stringent applications such as OLEDs with water vapor transmission rate below 1E-6 g/m2/day for films thinner than 50 nm.

Advanced thin films barriers are required for MEMS and OLED packaging. ALD can deliver ultra-thin encapsulation with superior conformallity and thickness control making it the technique of choice for flexible electronics.

ALD enables to deposit multi-component nanolaminate oxides to combine Al2O3 excellent moisture barrier performance with the anti-corrosion properties of alternative oxides such as HfO2, ZrO2 or SiO2 in aqueous environments.

Nanolaminate oxide deposited at 80˚C in Savannah® as an encapsulation for low cost OLEDs.

We develop custom Atomic Layer Deposition tools and recipes. Our team has decades of experience in ALD science and technology with over 300 scientific journal and conference articles in the ALD area Read More